Naraku's End
by Milana Pashmina
Summary: This used 2b New Friend, Old Foe. K, the gang meets a demon girl with healing powers and she helps them defeat Naraku and Kikyo. Problem is, something's coming from the ashes and it isn't wearing clothes.( I know I suck @ summaries. Just read it):)
1. Prologue

Prologue of A New Friend,Old Foes  
This should be a better fic than all my others. I'm taking my time.  
Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-Yasha and co, or the ideas. They belong to my hero, Rumiko Takahashi. I only own my characters and this idea.  
*********************************************************************  
The world was cold, icy, and unliving. Nothing moved, nothing breathed, it seemed. Only a single woman worked in a snowy field. Her pregnant belly often got in the way of digging through the snow for anything that would help her and her husband. Anything...  
Sudden sharp pains raged through her side. What was happening? Could the baby be coming? No, not now. Not now. It was too soon, too cold, and the mother was all too alone. Her small size gave her a natural disadvantage, but with help, she could survive. The woman fell to the winter ground, her whole body wracked with pain. No, Gods, NO!  
  
"Nnnnooooooooooo!!!!!" She screamed.  
  
Suddenly, a warm hand was on each shoulder of the tiny woman, nearly a girl herself. "It's okay, Lullabye. It's okay," the voice soothed.  
Lullabye fell into painless oblivian. When she awoke, a tiny baby was to her chest. It didn't cry, didn't eat. Lullabye gently shook her oldest child. It only coughed and stuggled to breathe.  
  
"What be wrong with my child? What's wrong with-"  
  
"Your daughter. She's too young to survive. She's dying..." The young man said.  
  
"No. She can't be. I'll do anything for her to survive. Please. Can you help me?" Lullabye whispered pleadingly.  
  
"There is one thing. I can give her my blood. She'll age slowly with it, but she will survive. Granted no one kills her before she is old enough to defend herself."  
  
"I'll do it. Anything for her to survive."  
  
With that said, the young man slit his wrist and put it to the baby's mouth. She drank the blood. Her lungs were strengthened, her body brought to full strength. The stranger fell over and died.  
  
"Good. Tell her my name is Jintaro," were his last words. With that, he died.  
*************************************************  
Ten years before that incedent in the countryside of Sengoku Jidai, Kikyo died, and trapped Inu-Yasha. Ten years after that, the girl discovered her powers.  
*********************************************  
Ikimono loved life. Animal, human,plant; it didn't matter. She just loved it. So when her dog ran out into the sunny, green field the summer Ikimono was ten, but looked about seven, she followed him. He was frantically barking at something. Then it stopped. When Ikimono found her dog, he lie there, dead. He was so bloody. Ikimono didn't know at that time that evil things,like demons or bad men exisited. How could she in such a litle, secluded village, protected from evil?  
As she mourned the loss of her best friend, a blow came from nowhere. Ikimono was on her side on top of the dead dog, bleeding. Confused, she looked around. A man dressed in the pelt of a monkey stood there laughing at her.  
  
"Foolish child. You are hurt so easily. I will not kill you yet. I'll give you 30 years to learn to fight. Know that I, Naraku, have opened your innocent heart to evil. Life is not what it seems," he bitterly said, vanishing.  
  
"My dog, you are dead. You might have saved me and the village. Thank-you," the little girl cried.  
  
She decided to keep her family and friends safe by not letting them know. She walked down to the hot springs and jumped in, clothes on. The blood swirled around in a spiral before settling down. Ikimono milled around sadly, when shew noticed a sick monkey. It was so sad for her to see it; she enticed it into the water. As it swam through the blood, it gained speed and health.   
  
"What?"the child gasped. She looked down and realized that no more blood was pouring from the huge wound in her side. In fact, the wound was healed without a scar. Could it be that Ikimono's blood healed sickness and wounds? Only one way to find out.   
  
Ikimono took the little monkey and pierced his skin with her long fingernails. She then cut herself and dripped the blood onto the monkey's cut. In fascination, they both watched the wound quickly heal. The same happened to Ikimono's cut. How was she able to heal things so? Was she a demon, like Naraku?   
  
"No, I'll never be like that mean man! I'll always help anything alive unless they have killed for stupid reasons or want to-like Naraku!" Shouted the small child through tears. The monkey ran back to his group.  
  
********************************************************  
Pretty, good eh? I like it! Read and review! 


	2. The Promise of Thirty Years

A New Friend Old Foe  
Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-Yasha, Rumiko Takahashi does  
*****************************************  
Ikimono was now 40 years old, but she looked half that. She still held onto her beliefs that all life was sacrad, and she always tried to help it. So there she was, knocking snow off the old tree that fed the village with its acorns and the animals that were drawn to it. The cold of the hard winter bothered her slightly, but otherwise it was a welcomed task. Over the past thirty years, Ikimono had been learning how to fight, and now she was very strong. 'Strong Enough for Naraku, I hope,'she thought.   
  
Still thinking about Naraku's promise, Ikimono was startled by two small children aproaching. One held a box wrapped in silk, patterned with flowers. He held it like it were a Holy Relic. Then again, maybe it was.  
  
"Can I help you two boys?" Ikimono sweetly asked, honestly caring.  
  
"We've been traveling down that mountain. We are very cold, and hungry. Would you spare us an old blanket and some food? Please?" the first boy quietly begged. The other boy nodded his head.  
  
"No,"Ikimono sternly answered,"You'll come inside, rest for as long as you wish, eat well, and then take the warmest blanket and coats, as well as some food, with you."  
  
The two children looked up at the smiling woman, then at each other. Ikimono opened the door and let the children in. She fed them well. They slept, and then were given food, blankets, and coats before they could leave. The two turned to leave, and Ikimono hugged them goodbye. Suddenly, she felt a sharp tug on the back of her long, black hair. Naraku smiled at the older Ikimono than when they had last met.   
  
"Well,well, well. If it isn't that little brat grown up into a nice, healthy wench. You ready to fight?" He cooly smiled, not expecting Ikimono to rip off a chunk of his skin. It didn't hurt him, but it angered him.  
  
"You want to play dirty? Fine."   
  
Naraku killed the two boys with a single attack.  
  
"You bastard."  
  
"Bitch. Let's fight."  
  
Naraku swiped at Ikimono, missed, was cut himself, and bled all over the deep snow around the acorn tree. Enfuriated, he lunged at the woman. She ran; ran into the forrest. It appeared to Naraku that she was just running away, but she was actually leading the fight away from the village. It was sad enough that the two boys were dead, but Ikimono would never forgive herself if everyone died.   
  
Once they were deep in the forrest, Ikimono turned to face her oponent. She flashed long nails and cut off Naraku's arm. He screamed curses and attacked. His aura began to over power Ikimono's, and she lost her strength. Naraku took a sword and sliced open a hole in Ikimono's stomache. He then left, thinking the demoness would die.  
  
The world became dizzy for Ikimono. It tilted and spun insanely. Hurting too much to continue trying to find her way back to the village, Ikimono lie down on the snow covered ground. Her warm blood had been splatered about everywhere, for a distance, and had been sealing the wound. But now that she lay still, the blood froze, halfway through its job.   
  
Ikimono struggled to stay awake. To sleep meant death. This in mind, the world was still swinging madly about, making her sick. She decided to just close her eyes. Soon the world went dark. Snow covered Ikimono's still, listless body...  
  
***************************************************  
Inu-Yasha and his friends walked about. Confused. Nothing to do, really. The jewel shards of the Shikon No Tama had been found and the jewel purified. Everyone was glad for this, but now there was nothing to do. So they decided to find Naraku. They wandered around asking about him. They found no news, but they came to a small mountain town. It seemed empty. So they began ransacking everything.  
  
"Stop, theives!" a voice called.  
  
"Huh? Are these yours?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Sorry, very sorry,"Sango apologized, hanging her head humbly and bowing.  
  
They all put the stuff they had grabbed back and followed the villager to an acorn tree. The whole population was huddled around it, two elderly people weeping.  
  
"Our daughter, she disappeared! We only found these boys' dead bodies and some blood not belonging to her," the old woman sobbed to Kagome and Shippo.  
  
Inu-Yasha began to sniff around. He smelled the blood, the bodies, the villagers. Something was familiar. What was it, what was it, what was it? Damn it! What was it? Oh, that's right. It was-  
  
"Naraku. Naraku was here, Miroku," Inu-Yasha whispered, pulling Miroku to the side.  
  
"What? Here? What would he want with some woman from an ignorant little village such as this?" Miroku pondered aloud.   
  
He was quiet just in time to catch the old man, the old woman's and lost woman's father, talking.  
  
"-loved life and her blood. It could heal any wound or illness short of death. Right, Lullabye?"   
  
The old woman nodded her head. "That was our Ikimono."  
  
*****************  
The end. For now.  
  
Author's note: Well, minna. Do you like,love,hate, detest, despise, or adore it? I kinda likes it. Read and Review! But man, am I exhausted. My eyes are half closed and I keep nodding off. It seems like the computer screen is pulsing. More caffine, need more caffine....dzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz... 


	3. Frozen Blood and a Cute Bear

Well, people. This is the next chapter. Look, I'm begging you to reivew! but I'll only accept flames from authors who know how hard it can be to write a story. K, here is the story  
A New Friend, Old Foe  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-Yasha-tachi  
**********************************************  
"Was this woman a sort of witch or something?" Sango asked.   
  
She was met with only blank stares from the villagers.   
  
"She protected us from the evils. She never told us what they were. We know of death and pain, but she protected us from worse," the old man said.  
  
"Well, we'll look for her, but I'm not promising anything. It might be... too late," Kagome reassured the people.  
  
"K-k-aaa-ggooo-meee," Shippo complained. He was cold and hungry and tired and scared and freaked out and....  
  
"Why did you set us off into possible danger when we could have let these people take care of it?" Myoga demanded.  
  
Everyone, even Shippo, gave Myoga a dirty look.  
  
"What?"  
  
"All right, let's go," Inu-Yasha ordered.  
  
Even though it was heavily snowing, they followed the blood that was splattered in a trail in the snow for a long time. Often, the trail would twist and turn wildly, and blood would be cupped in leaves on the tree.   
The group had just reached one of those spots in a densely vegetated patch. Inu-Yasha used his nose, which was getting very cold, to sniff out the direction to go. He stepped forward and it was too late to follow Kagome's surprised, shouted command.  
  
"Inu-Yasha, look out!"  
  
Inu-Yasha heard a crunching noise below his feet. He looked to see what he had stepped on.   
A small, young bear cub peered up at Inu-Yasha. It had pleading eyes and he could see why; the poor thing had its front and back left legs caught in a crude trap. The left legs were clearly broken and Inu-Yasha had broken its right paw.  
Inu-Yasha numbly bent down picked it up and pulled the trap off. He felt sorry for it. When Inu-Yasha stood up, his head brushed some of the leaves. They tipped, and the blood that was cupped in them poured onto the little cub. It trickled through his fur and down his legs. Shippo was the first to notice the injuries healing.  
  
"Hey look! It's getting better!"  
  
"You're right. They weren't lying about her blood healing, then,"Sango murmured.  
  
The little bear was still hurt, but in less pain. The group continued their search, and the amount of snow that fell increased greatly within the next hour.   
The group came to a little clearing where the trail stopped completely. Granted, it had snowed over a foot since the group had started out, Inu-Yasha had been smelling the scent and it stopped here.  
  
"If Inu-Yasha says the scent stops here, she's gotta be in this clearing. Alive or dead, she's here,"Miroku encouraged the group.  
  
"I agree. Let's split up and start digging," Sango agreed.(Big surprise there; she said she agreed)  
  
"Okay, then let's get to it,"Kagome nervously cheered.  
  
Shippo and Myoga began digging at the 'end' of the clearing, Kagome and Inu-Yasha began shoving snow away in the middle of it, Miroku, Sango and Kirara melted through the soft snow on the sides. Soon, the clearing was a mess of tousled fresh snow and snow that had been melted into puddles.  
Inu-Yasha-tachi were about to give up and go back when Myoga and Shippo both gave a startled yelp. They had seen enough dead, bloody people not to go into hysterics, but they came close.  
  
When the rest of the group ran up to see what had happened, they found themselves starring at a mutilated body. It had belonged to a young woman, but frozen blood was stuck to many,many terrible gashes.  
They thought she was dead, but the woman felt their body heat and moaned.  
  
"I'm alive,"she whispered. The surprise in her voice was just as clear as the pain.  
  
"Inu-Yasha, we must get this lovely young lady to the village as soon as possible!"Miroku commanded, not taking his eyes off of the woman.  
  
Inu-Yasha lifted the woman onto Kirara's back.   
  
"Bring the little cub here,"the woman asked, patting her hurt stomache.  
  
Kagome listened, even though her brain told her not to. THe little bear immediatly curled up comfortably. The woman's blood melted and soaked the bear.  
  
When they reached the village, the little bear cub jumped down and was as healthy as he could have been.  
  
The old woman, Lullaby, reached her arms out to take the younger woman.   
  
"Thank-you for bringing my daughter back."  
************************************************************  
Well, Read and review!!!!!!!!!!!!C'mon, I missed Chinese food for this! 


	4. Ikimono's Revenge

Well, guys I'm uploading another chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the idea of Inu-Yasha but I do of this story. I think. All rights reservered is not my idea either.  
  
A New Friend, old foe  
*****************************************************  
The old woman brought her daughter into a hut and warmed her by a fire. The blood of the woman melted and it healed her injuries. They was still blood coated on her clothes, but that was okay. At least she was alive.  
  
"Mother, bring in the strangers, please,"Ikimono weakly called.  
  
"Are you sure you are strong enough to talk to them? They look like a surly bunch."  
  
"Yes. I'm positive."  
  
"Alright then. In they come."  
  
Kagome tenderly opened the door and walked in first. She didn't bother to hold it open for Inu-Yasha and it slammed into his face.  
  
"Hey! You wench, what the hell do you think you're doing?!" He yelled.  
  
"Sshh! Inu-Yasha, I'm sorry but be quiet, okay?"  
  
"Feh!" Came his common reply.  
  
Sango and Miroku entered the warm room and at by Kagome. Kagome saw Miroku's hand moving in the general direction of Sango's rear. She got up and stomped her foot hard against his hand.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
Sango ignored this and said to Ikimono,"It's amazing you survived those injuries. You're blood heals things. I'm beginning to think that you're not even human."  
  
Ikimono looked down and smiled. Small, glistening tears formed at the corners of her eyes. "I'm not. I was born human, but it was too soon for me to be born, and I was too weak to survive. A stranger came and gave me his blood. It turned me into a demon, but I'm not bad. I keep the village safe. They don't know about the existance of Demons."  
  
"Well, that explains your blood. But why were you hurt so badly? Who were the dead boys ?" Miroku inquired.  
  
"I don't know their names. They were traveling down to a mountain, adn I helped them. Then as they were leaving, a demon came and killed them. 30 years ago he told he would fight me. He came and,and,and I tried to save the boys. But I couldn't. Then he nearly killed me. I want revenge. Like never before, I want revenge."  
  
"Ikimono. What was this demon's name?"Inu-Yasha asked with sudden intrest and intensity.  
  
"His name was Naraku. Do you know him?"  
  
"Only a lot. We all want revenge, too. Want to join together and defeat him?"Kagome offered.  
  
"Yes. I can tell you're strong enough to defeat him."  
  
With that, Ikimono sat up straight and all the bones in her back popped with a horrible cracking noise. She stretched and ran to a box in the corner none had noticed before. She pulled out lots of clothes and threw them into a cow skin bag.  
  
"Let's go!" She chirped with sudden energy.  
**************************************************************  
The end R+R please.   
A/N: This story mostly revolves around Ikimono right now. She kind of is the main character, but don't worry. It won't be her to destroy Naraku. I kind of need her as an important character for this story because this is a prequel to a story I haven't typed yet. K by  
-Milana Pashmina 


	5. Meet the Enchanted Wind: a slightly insa...

Konban wa, minna! Anata wa desu? That's my crude version of Japanese. I'm forgetting things. Anyway, here come the next chapter!  
Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi owns Inu-Yasha not me so leave me alone! I'm a simple fangirl who loves to write fics! And this fic is mine, Mine, MINE! o_O  
  
**************************************************************  
Sango, Miroku, Inu-Yasha, and Kagome all sat back in surprise. A minute before, Ikimono had been so defeated, so sad, and now she was as perky as it was humanly possible to be. Ikimono dashed to the door, opened it, and grabbed Shippo.   
  
"Let's go let's go let'sgolet'sgolet'sgolet'sgo LET'S GO PEOPLE!!!" Ikimono blabbered in a hyper voice.  
  
"Well, um, okay. Let's go, I guess. Heh-heh-heh," Kagome slightly laughed, a sweatdrop forming at the back of her head and sliding down nervously.   
  
"Yeah. Kirara, c'mon!" Sango hollered. Kirara came, in her flaming, huge, tough two tailed demon form.  
  
Sango clambered onto her back and Kagome was about to follow suit when Ikimono intervened.  
  
"Wait wait wait. Sango can ride Kirara and the rest of you can ride my enchanted wind."  
  
Ikimono thought of the wind. Her oldest daughter naturally had the power, as well as the power of water. Ikimono pictured Hibari, the demon of the purple elements, with her purple hair and eyes. She was so different from her younger brother and sister, with their happy and unrealalistic thoughts. Hibari was down-to-earth,bold, cold, and strong. But they lived with their demon father on the other side of the mountain. It made Ikimono sad to think that she might never see her children or mate(they weren't married) again.  
  
"If we destroy Naraku, I can see them again," Ikimono whispered to herself.  
  
"What was that?" Shippo curiously questioned.  
  
"Shippo!"Kagome scolded."That's rude!"  
  
"Oh. Sorry," Shippo apologized, rubbing the bump on his head where Kagome had bopped him.  
  
"It's okay, kid. It was nothing anyway,"Ikimono smiled.  
  
'What a nice young woman-demon woman-,'Miroku thought. 'Maybe I should...I mean, she's a demon, but...Yes. Yes. I will.'  
  
Miroku took one of Ikimono's hands in both of his own. "Ikimono, will you bear my children?"   
  
All his friends face faulted Anime-style. Ikimono got a slightly disgusted look on her face.  
  
"Oh, HELL NO! I mean, no, sir monk. In fact, I have three children of my own," Ikimono faltered, getting her composure back.  
  
"Oh, sorry, then,"Miroku mumbled put-offly(Is that a word?)'Goodness, what a turn off. Three kids...'  
  
The group then left the village, Sango riding Kirara proudly, and the rest riding Ikimono's enchanted wind comfortably. Kagome was surprised how not nervous she was. It was kind of scary riding the wind, high above the ground with absolutely nothing below her.   
  
"And the rest of them,"Kagome added hastliy to herself.  
  
^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^Three days later...^_^_^_^  
  
  
At first, it had been exciting, traveling the wind. But now, after three days of traveling, Shippo was bored. They had had pleanty of food the whole trip, so he wasn't hungry, but he was getting restless. Almost as bad as Inu-Yasha, who had been pacing back and forth for the last two days.  
  
"Calm down, Inu-Yasha. You'll wear yourself out or fall off, at this rate," Kagome ordered.  
  
"Whichever comes first,"Miroku dimmly muttered, watching, with great intensity, the ground; supposedly for signs of Naraku.  
  
"Luckily for us all, Kagome didn't say 'sit' "Sango drawled in a sleepy voice.  
  
"Sshh! All of you; be quiet. I hear something..."Ikimono growled, totally out of character.  
  
Inu-Yasha listened, and heard a faint voice calling.  
  
"Oh, Inu-Yasha! Miroku! Sango! Ikimono! I have something you all want!" The cold, angry voice enticed.  
  
"Naraku!" They ALL yelled simotaneously, with great emotion.  
  
"Damn right. Let's end your lives now and put you all out of your miseries now."  
  
"No! You're the one who goin' down!"Shippo shouted, glad for action.  
  
They all looked at him with that utterly confused, skeptical, and unbelieving look. You know, the one where their eyes widen but pupils shrink.  
  
"What the hell are you going to do, hhmm Shippo? Cry?" Inu-yasha sarcasticly-not-really-sarcastic griped.  
  
"Enough talking! Let's get this over with!" Naraku angrily snarled. He lept at the group in the sky and came surprisingly close to nailing his target(not literally) but not near enough. He fell back and prepared to strike again...  
  
"Oh, crap! He's gonna attack again and this time he won't miss!"Kagome cried, pulling back!  
  
*******************************************  
  
Well, I'm done! I don't feel like writing a lot more; I'm bored now. But man, I like slight cliffhangers. OKEY DOKEY BYE! Oh yeah, Read and Review or R+R if you prefer! I don't care, just do it. Pretty please?  
************************************* 


	6. Three More Shards To Go

Mornin' minna! Tsup? Me nuthin. Jus' updating yet again. K here comes de disclamier:I don't own Inu-Yasha and co, Rumiko Takahashi does and I could never be smart enough to think up such a great idea:(: ^_^  
  
**********************************************  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
Part 1:Focus of Battle:Kohaku Verses Sango Verses her feelings  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
"Naraku's gonna kill us!" Shippo stuttered as Naraku attacked.  
  
He took out his sword and sliced at the enchanted wind. This time he did not miss. The sword sliced open a gash in the middle of the wind. The wind still held the group, but it was weakend to barely keeping them from falling all those miles above too the ground.  
  
Struggling to get ahold of the wind, Ikimono nervously coughed. She strengthend it enough to glide it to the forresty ground, but as soon as their feet touched the ground, the wind died.  
  
"Well, well Ikimono. It seems you know a few more tricks than I thought," Naraku laughed.  
  
"You bastard! I'll make you pay!" Ikimono snarled, much like a caged animal snarls.   
  
"Little bitch. This'll show you!" Naraku swore, flinging Ikimono into the woods.  
  
"Enough talking!" Miroku said. "Hellhole open!"  
  
The hellhole on Miroku's hand opened and it began to suck up the things around him. Naraku felt himself being pulled toward the void, but he just smiled. A second later, Saimoshyo(Spelling?) came.   
  
"Damn! I have to close it off or I'll be cmpletely useless!"Miroku cursed.  
  
"Is that suppossed to mean you're not useless at other times?" Sango dryly asked, pulling out her Boomerang Bone.  
  
She threw it as hard as she could, and sliced Naraku's arm off.   
  
"Sango. I like it better when you fight Kohaku," Naraku grumbled, sounding annoyed.  
  
A second later, Kahaku showed up at Naraku's underlined request. His face, once so lively, was now nothing more or less than a zombie's face. His actions were unthinking, and he didn't remember anything; his sister, his father, how it felt to love and be loved, or a reason not to fight. Once again, this tore Sango's heart to shreads.  
  
"Kohaku! Kohaku, I still love you! Fight Naraku! You can win if you try!" Sango desprately yelled through tears.   
  
She knew it was in vain, though. He was dead, gone, never coming back. He was only kept "alive" by a Shikon shard implanted in his back. In her heart, Sango knew.  
  
"Sango! I know it's hard, but we only need four more Shikon shards! You've got to take the shard out of Kohaku! You know that's what he wants anyway!" Myoga shouted, from his safe, cozy spot on Kagome's shoulder, where she shot arrows at Naraku and Kohaku both.  
  
"I know," Sango cried.   
  
Kohaku had been standing still through Sango's tears, but now he attcked. He tossed the blade of his Chain sickle (Not an ice cream or popsicle, all you nimrods out there. Hey. Nimrod. I like that word) at Sango and nearly hit her. She moved though, and the sickle was pulled back to its master. Kohaku attacked again, and this time Sango froze.  
  
The sickle came at Sango and she just sat there. Kirara sensed her master in danger and left her spot of attacking the gigantic wasps to defend Sango. Seconds before the blade could slice Sango in half, Kirara broke the chain and flung the blade in the direction of Naraku. It hit him in the chest, but did not faze him much.  
  
Inu-Yasha, who was battling Naraku firsthand, looked somewhat surprised and called,"Thanks Kirara!"   
  
Miroku came over and pulled Sango to her feet. While she collected herself, Miroku held her to himself. Kirara attacked Kohaku with great courage. He was nearly helpless now, without his Chain Sickle.   
  
"Kirara, don't kill him yourself,"Miroku ordered.  
  
Sango became more or less normal again. She stumbled toward Kohaku, whom she thought weaponless, and hugged him as tighly as she could.  
  
"Brother. This is goodbye, I guess,"Sango whispered lovingly into Kohaku's ear.   
  
He pulled out a knife and sliced at Sango. He cut her leg open deeply, and Sango fell away clutching her leg. Shippo ran up with surprising courage to help her. Miroku took his staff and held down Kohaku's head,arms, hands, and top half of his back with it. Kirara took the bottom half.  
  
"Lady Kagome! Hurry and take out the Shikon Shard! We can't hold him much longer," Miroku shouted at Kagome.   
  
"o-Okay!"Kagome called back.   
  
She ran over and bent over Kohaku's back.   
  
"There!"She reached through his flesh and pulled out the shard.   
Suddenly the struggling Kohaku lay still. His body went limp as a ramen noodle.  
  
"Kohaku! Kohaku I'm sorry I couldn't help you,"Sango whispered in tears, falling to her knees.  
  
"Lady Sango," Miroku sadly said before turning to Inu-Yasha's fight.  
  
Kagome ran over and draped a comforting arm around Sango's shoulders. Sango welcomed the comfort.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
Part 2: Focus of Battle: Naraku Verses Inu-Yasha  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
While Sango had her little fight with Kohaku, Inu-Yasha battled Naraku.   
  
They slashed at each other with swords and powers, Inu-Yasha weilding Tetsusaiga, Naraku using a fairly normal sword and his demon powers.  
  
Inu-Yasha swung Tetsusaiga hard against Naraku. It cut him open in the arm that Sango hadn't lopped off. Naraku's blood splatered Inu-Yasha and it burned at him.  
  
Inu-Yasha fell back in agony. Just before Naraku could deliver a nearly finishing blow, Kirara flung Kohaku's Chain sickle at Naraku. It slowed him for the millisecond Inu-Yasha needed to recover.  
  
"Thanks Kirara!"He called.  
  
"Pay attention to me, you halfling bastard!"Naraku screeched.  
  
"Feh. We're both halfbreeds, so you might do well to pay attention to yourself, because I'll kill you!" Inu-Yasha said with astonishing wit.   
  
He twisted Tetsusaiga straight through Naraku, but it did little good. Inu-Yasha ducked out of the way of the blood htis time, but narrowly missed it.  
  
For a short time, Inu-Yasha and Naraku volleyed against each other with light attacks while they were on the rebound. Suddenly, Inu-Yasha noticed the arrows that had been coming from Kagome stopped.  
  
"Hey, Kagome! Keep the arrows coming! I'm relying on them to keep me ahead! Kagome? Kagom-oh,"Inu-Yasha said, sensing Kagome holding another Shikon Shard and Sango crying.  
  
"Heh. Looks like they got Kohaku, Naraku. Now it's just me and you,"Inu-Yasha smirked.  
  
"Don't forget me," Miroku reminded Inu-Yasha, popping up behind him.  
  
"Monk. It's us now, is it? That's fine with me," Naraku retorted.  
  
He striked at Miroku, but Miroku dodged it. Inu-Yasha, however, did not fare so well. He got deep scratches across his chest. He fell, and lay on his back. Angrily, Miroku slashed at Naraku with his staff, causing Naraku to grow angry.  
  
"Why, you bast-"Naraku started.   
  
But he was interupted by Kagome. She had shot an enchanted arrow and it had hit Naraku in the neck.  
  
'This wench. Her arrows again. If I don't leave now, she'll destroy me for sure,' Naraku thought both fearfully and furiously.  
  
He ran away from the group of enemies, who didn't follow him.   
  
"Inu-Yasha! Kagome! Simply strength and attacks that would hurt another being will not work!"Ikimono called, running from a place in the woods.  
  
To Inu-Yasha, Miroku whispered,"She wants revenge so, yet she did not stick around for the fight. Something is wrong here."  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
Part 3: Focus of Battle: Ikimono verses Stranger  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Inu-Yasha fought with all his might Naraku and Sango struggled to hurt Kohaku. Ikimono was about to join the fray again, but then-- Ikimono noticed a stanger in the woods and ran to meet him.  
  
"You wanna defeat Naraku as much as Master Sesshomaru does," a little girl said.  
  
"Yes! Of course I do! Oh, and I'm Ikimono by the way,"Ikimono whispered with rage.  
  
"Well, I'm Rin. I know how you can defeat him,"Rin grinned.  
  
"How?"  
  
"Use your blood."  
  
"But that will help him."  
  
"No it won't."  
  
"Okay, how do I use it?"  
  
"Just Burn it and throw it in the wind."  
  
"Really? Thanks Ri-."  
  
"Rin! There you are! Lord Sesshomaru would have my head if he found out I'd lost you,"A wrinkled old demon griped, sounding slightly relieved.  
  
"You what now? Lost Rin?" A colder, less weak sounding voice inquired from behind the old demon.  
  
"M-M'lord! I found 'er! Faithful Jaken has found 'er, m'lord,"The ugly old demon said, bowing low.  
  
"Rin. Who're they?"Ikimono whispered into Rin's ear.  
  
"The big one is Sesshomaru, and the dumb one is Jaken,"Rin replied, wrinkling her nose at the name "Jaken."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"You! What did you happened with you and Rin?" Sesshomaru asked, turning his attentin to Ikimono.  
  
"N-nothing,"Ikimono trembled slightly.  
  
"Ikimono siad she'd help me find you after Jaken just left me in the woods,"Rin told Sesshomaru, looking up with an irresistebly cute look on her face.  
  
"Jaken, is this true?"Sesshomaru growled, in calm anger.  
  
Several moments silence, and then, Jaken hung his head.   
  
"Yes M'lord."  
  
Even though it was not true, Jaken was not foolish enough to deny it. He knew Sesshomaru would side with Rin. He always did, it seemed.   
  
Sesshomaru motioned for Rin and Jaken to follow him.   
  
"Thank you for offering to help Rin."  
  
"I bid you farewell,Sesshomaru!" Ikimono yelled at the retreating backs.  
  
She watched them go for a moment, and then remembered Naraku. She turned around and saw the fight. She watched it for a few minutes. Kohaku being dtopped and Sango's tears were too much. It was too sad for her to go out there now; she knew not why.   
  
After a few minutes more, an arrow struck Naraku in the throat. It was Kagome's doing.   
  
"What is that girl's power? It's almost as if she were more than just a human,"Ikimono muttered to herself.  
  
She watched Naraku get a shooked look on his face. She watched him retreat; it was as if Ikimono was in a daze. She shook her head and called to Inu-yasha-tachi.  
  
"Inu-Yasha! Kagome! Simply strength and attacks that would hurt another being will not work!"Ikimono called out as she dashed up to them.   
  
She saw Miroku turn his head and whisper to Inu-Yasha. She saw Inu-Yasha nod his head. Ikimono ignored the remark that was slightly hurtful. She didn't care what they though, as long as Naraku ended up defeated.  
  
"Hi Ikimono,"Kagome waved.  
  
Sango sadly looked at the Shikon-No-Tama Shard that had been in Kohaku and put it in the little jar that kept the small shards. Later, Kagome would purify tham and make the Shikon-No-Tama whole again.  
  
"Now we only have three more shards to go," Shippo said, with a venturing look at Sango.   
  
She looked away at the ground as if she were ashamed. A few more tears rolled down her cheeks and nose.   
  
'Only three more shards to go,'Sango thought miserably. 'Only three more to go.'  
  
***********************************************************************************  
  
Well. minna! Did you like it? It seems really long and it took me hours to write. I watched all of "Lord Of The Rings" as I typed it and still was left typing for about 13 minutes after it ended, not including this. Jeez, I hope it's long. And I hope you R+R! Laterz and PEACE FROM  
-Milana Pashmina 


	7. Kagome, You Gotta Remember whrer to stan...

Hi guys!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-Yasha  
  
*****************************************************************  
After the battle with Naraku and Kohaku, the ggroup was moving miserably again. They were in search of Naraku yet again, and determined to beat him. The only problem was, Sango's sorrow was infectous and had spread like the flu to Inu-Yasha, Kagome, Miroku, Ikimono, Kirara, and even Shippo.   
  
Heads bowwed, the group trudged through an icy snowstorm. Flurries with snowflakes as big as leaves fell and came and made the group hostile.  
  
"I'm cold," Shippo complained.  
  
"Shut up, Shippo. No one cares to hear your whining," Kagome snapped.  
  
Shippo's eyes began to fill with tears. One blurped and rolled down his cheek. He slapped at the cold it caused and jerked his head enough to make the rest of the tears spill silently.  
  
"Stop crying, Shippo,"Ikimono grumbled,"they'll freeze to your face and we don't want to stop looking for Naraku. The sooner we get this shit over with, the better."  
  
The little kitsune demon looked down and wiped his face clear. He looked at his feet mushing through the wet snow. 'This sucks,' he thought.  
  
They all thought that.  
  
A minute, an hour or five later, it was hard to tell because time seemed to last forever, Myoga popped up from his warm, cozy, isolated spot on Inu-Yasha's chest and asked a stupid question.  
  
"Inu-Yasha, why does your blood taste so sour?"  
  
Inu-Yasha just grunted angrily, his breath coming out in a little puff in the cold air. He flicked Myoga into the snow and left him there. The rest ignored this action and kept on trucking. That was the last of Myoga they would see for a while.  
  
The group traveled in this manner for a week, coming up empty handed.   
  
"Inu-Yasha, I want to go back to the well," Kagome said.  
  
"Alright," Inu-Yasha replied darkly, not protesting as usual.  
  
What good would it do?  
  
"Anything for his *wench*" Miroku muttered under his breath.  
  
Inu-Yasha rounded on him.  
  
"Why did you say *that*?"he growled.  
  
"It's true," Miroku answered simply.  
  
Inu-yasha lept at the monk, prepared to beat him until he felt better.  
  
"Inu-Yasha, stop!" Kagome cried leaping between the two.   
  
Sango pulled Mroku to the side and looked at the bump on his head. She felt a hand on her butt and slapped Miroku as hard as she could.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Let me at him!" Inu-Yasha raged.  
  
"Inu-Yasha, save it for Naraku!" Kagome pleaded.  
  
  
Then, forgetting her placement in front of Inu-Yasha holding the front of his kimono, she uttered the dreaded "S" word.  
  
He came crashing down, on top of Kagome. His lips just met hers; the rest of him was not so gentle, though.  
  
"Ow!"They griped together.   
  
Suddenly, they felt the other's eyes on them and only then noticed how they were placed.  
  
"Inu-Yasha, Kagome! I'm shocked at this unnatural, bold, slighlty disturbing display of -affection-,"Miroku said, very pale.  
  
"Yeah, they're usually more discrete about it,"Sango sighed, a sweatdrop appearing at her temple.  
  
"That's just wrong,"Shippo mumbled through wide eyes.  
  
They all had totally the wrong idea.  
  
"W-wha-? Y-you i-idiots! It's not, -y-you h-have it-" Inu-Yasha stammered through a pale flush.  
  
Kagome blushed, then angrily yelled," EW! YOU GUYS HAVE GOT IT ALL WRONG! IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!"  
  
In quieter, but just as angry, tone, she told Inu-Yasha," Get off of me!"  
  
With that, she shoved him off and stomped in the direction of the Bone Eater's Well. The group watched her go, looked around, then Sango asked the questions that were just dawning on the males.  
  
"Where's Ikimono?"  
  
In a flash, things began to happen. First was Kagome's shrill shrieks coming from a little ways ahead.  
  
They ran to see what was happening and there they found Naraku and Ikimono engaged in a violent, bloody battle. The only thing surprising was that Kikiyo was fighting in arms with Naraku.  
  
"Hello, Inu-Yasha," She smiled her eerie smile.  
  
Then she lept forward and hypnotised Inu-Yasha. She hugged him and proceeded to take him to Hell with her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
********************************************************************  
Well, Minna! Another chapter up! Tell me what you thought. I know it was short but... Can you ever forgive me? Of course you can....YOU NEVER READ THIS STORY, MY BEST ONE YET so WHY should you care? Breathes heavily. Oh well! R+R!!!!!!!!  
  
  
K, Bye!   
  
-Milana Pashmina, Enter the idiot 


	8. Goodbye, Purification, Revalation, Hello

Here is the next chapter of, newly named, Naraku's End. Yay!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own rights to Inu-Yasha.  
  
And I now know I have been spelling Kikyo wrong.  
  
**************************************************  
Kikyo grabbed the entranced Inu-Yasha and began to drag him to hell with her.  
  
Kagome braved from her spot of shooting arrows(what else can she do? Seroiusly) to shout her common,"Inu-Yasha!"  
  
Shippo looked torn between running to help Inu-Yasha or running away. Naraku grabbed Shippo by the neck and began to squeeze. His face turned red, then purple, then blue before Ikimono could gather her strength and courage and stumble over to Naraku.  
  
"L-let him go, Naraku. He's just a kid,"she gasped.  
  
"No. The little fox will go now because he can get in the way," Naraku, in a bored tone, said.  
  
"No he won't. All he does is hide and cry,"Ikimono reasoned to no avail.  
  
Miroku and Sango and Kirara had all the while been desparately attacking Kikyo, hoping she would let Inu-Yasha go. Now, though, they began to attack sparingly, trying to free both Shippo and Inu-Yasha.  
  
"Sango, who do you want to face?"Miroku asked, closing his hellhole for fear of sucking in an innocent person.  
  
Sango looked indecisve, then grasped her Boomerang Bone and let it go. She hopped onto Kirara's back. "I'll take Naraku."  
  
She jumped and ran to fight side by side with the slightly injured Ikimono. They managed to free Shippo before Naraku could kill him, but it was close. He coughed and put a tiny hand to his already bruising throat.  
  
Miroku pulled out his staff and aimed a blow at Kikyo. It hit her arms and she dropped Inu-Yasha. He fell to a heap on the floor. Kagome jumped in like a cat and drug him away from the large hole.  
  
Miroku turned to help Sango and Ikimono while Kagome tried to rouse Inu-Yasha. Kikyo slinked over to him and put a gentle hand on his.  
  
"Inu-Yasha, please wake up,"Kagome pleaded in an unaudible whisper.   
  
A tear dripped down her nose onto the ground with a soft, 'ploop.'  
  
Inu-Yasha's ears flicked and he turned his head to face Kikyo. He opened his eyes, and mumbled through the small amount of blood that was forming in his mouth,"Kikyo, I would go with you to Hell, except that there's Kagome. She freed me and it was through her that you were reincarnated."  
  
Inu-Yasha paused to take a breath. Kikyo looked at Kagome with a mixture of great disdain, hate, and uncertanty. Kagome's eyes filled with warm, sparkly tears.  
  
"To be with Kagome here on Earth is the only way I can think of to be with, in a way, both of you. Mostly Kagome, but a little of Kikyo," Inu-Yasha continued and finished.   
  
Inu-Yasha turned his head to Kagome. Alarmed, he frantically asked,"W-what's wrong? Why are you crying now? I chose you, didn't I?"  
  
"That's why," Kagome answered, shaking her head.   
  
Inu-Yasha tuned his head up and scratched it. Kagome was so confusing. Kikyo, however, was much more easy to figure out. She stood up angrily and was about to kill Inu-Yasha for good, when Miroku became aware of this. He ran up as fast as he could and made it just in time.   
  
Miroku had stabbed Kikyo through the middle with his staff. He pulled the limp body back and started to shake it off. Kikyo's body flailed madly, then, it was on Naraku, pinning him to the ground. Her hot blood boiled over him and burned hotly.  
  
Naraku became raging mad, he felt not the hot blood. Before he could get up, Sango had thrown her Boomerang Bone and it knocked off his legs. "Inu-Yasha, your turn," she breathed.  
  
"Gladly,"he answered, getting up.   
  
Inu-Yasha put his fingers in his mouth and spit up as much blood as he could, praying that it would be enough. As it turned out, it was.  
  
"Claws of Blood!" he yelled as the blood claws flew.   
  
Most hit Naraku, but one hit Kikyo glancingly. She stirred and growled curses as she rose. Naraku's mangled body clung to her like shy child to its mother.  
  
"You'll pay for doing this to me,"Kikyo calmly said.  
  
"Quick, before they can separate, move it!" Ikimono ordered loudly.  
  
She summoned Rin from the bushes, who held a large torch with great care. Inu-Yasha and company were confused and slightly vexed. What good would fire do?  
  
"Ikimono, are you trying to steal the show? It's a little late, don't you think? Your friends have already immoblized me," Naraku lightheartedly almost sang.  
  
Kikyo held him up as her body slowly began to fail her. "My body is weakening, but I will not die!" She screamed.  
  
"Unfortunately, Naraku, your mouth still works. Kikyo, I'll put your restless soul to where it belongs," Ikimono snarled.  
  
With that, she reaveled a large sharp knife and put it to the heel of her wrist. She pulled the blade back and the blood shot out like a fountain of water. Rin was already holding the torch under Ikimono's hand and the blood was on fire and flew red wet sparks onto Kikyo and Naraku.   
  
They burned and melted, wicks and candles on fire. After a while, their ashes melded together. Miroku looked on in awe as the Hellhole on his hand shifted together the skin and disappeared. Sango felt great releif and that her family had been avenged. Kagome felt simple relief with Shippo. Ikimono fell to her knees, weak from blood loss. Inu-Yasha stepped toward the ashes looking sad.  
  
"Kikyo, I'm sorry. But you turned evil and I can't love someone who wants me to go to hell," he whispered.  
  
That withstanding, he bent and retrieved the last three shards of the Shikon-No-Tama that glimmered brightly in the dark ashes. Kagome held out her hand for the shards.  
  
"Gomen Nasai,"she mouthed.   
  
Kagome put the large piece of the Shikon jewel along with the smaller ones in her cupped hands and put them to her heart. She closed her eyes and as she did, the shards melded together into one shiny sphere. Bright pastel colors shone to Kagome's closed eyes and she felt the now whole jewel being purified.  
  
After a few minutes, she opened her eyes. She was a tiny bit drained, but she smiled as she held out the perfect Shikon-No-Tama for her friends to see. Tears gleamed in her eyes, Sango's eyes, and Shippo's eyes. Inu-Yasha didn't make move for the jewel and Miroku was still marveling at the gone hellhole.   
  
Ikimono was the first to notice movement from the ashes.  
  
"Look, something's growing,"She gasped.  
  
Indeed, she was correct. A dark ash color of hair was forming on a pale ash color head. The group stared intently for an hour and a half as a woman's body took form. She was a pale ash color all over and her hair was long and dark ash color. She wore no clothes.  
  
The last thing to be seen were her eyes and at last she opened them. They were blue ash color. When her eyes were open, she spoke. "Give me the Shikon-No-Tama."  
  
*********************************************************************  
Hey! Another done chapter! Guess what? Only one or two more chapters to this story, then I can post its sequel. I really wish you would Read and review. Do you hate me? (Makes big puppy eyes) Just R+R! Flame me now! I'm open to flames, though I prefer constructive critisism! Well, bye! Hope you R+R!   
M  
_I  
__L  
___A  
____N  
_____A  
______+  
_______P  
______A  
_____S  
____H  
___M  
__I  
_N  
A 


	9. Confuzzling chapter that is very short a...

Next, almost last chapter, of Naraku's End.  
Disclaimer: Ya'll KNOW I don't own Inu-Yasha and co, right? 'Cause I don't.   
  
***************************************************************  
The naked, ash colored woman sat on the ground looking up saying,"Give me the Shikon-No-Tama Jewel."  
  
Inu-Yasha looked at her as if she were crazy. "Hell no!"  
  
The ash colored woman stood and pushed her nose right into his face and sweetly said,"My name's Amai. I need the Shikon so I can depurify it, fill it with malice, destroy the world, and take you all to Hell."  
  
"Amai, do you really want to do that? I mean, you could have anything you want, and you're going to destroy the world?" Ikimono asked.  
  
"But that is what I want,"was Amai's simple response.  
  
"You know that if the world is destroyed, you'd die too, right?" Kagome inquired skeptically.  
  
"Yes; it's a small price to pay, I think," Amai brightly laughed.  
  
Shippo cocked an eyebrow at her, while Inu-Yasha and even Miroku were looking descreetly away.  
  
Sango stared at Miroku, her eyes at half mast. "Don't you want to look at a naked woman who won't hit you?" She dully wondered.  
  
When he didn't answer, Kirara tipped over and nuzzled him. She was small, for now. She purred convincingly and finally, Miroku grumbled, "No. She's a demon. Or half o' one."  
  
Ikimono stepped forward and placed a bloody arm on Amai's ashy arm. The blood did nothing to her except make her drool. Inu-Yasha now decided to look, since Ikimono was blocking the bad view. He saw Amai drooling and squinched his eyes, as if to see any better.  
  
Somehow, something dawned on him and he gasped, his eyes as big as hard boiled eggs. "Ikimono, back up fast! She'll-" he yelled, but it was too late.  
  
Amai had lunged for Ikimono's throat and was latched on with her teeth, sucking the blood through her vein in her neck. It was vampiric to Kagome, and to the rest it was barbaric. It was what animals did, how predators killed their prey.  
  
Kagome jumped and was going to pull the ash-demon off of Ikimono, but Inu-Yasha grabbed her by the waist.  
  
"Don't go! Ikimono's a demon, so she'll survive as long as a little blood is left over. You're human and she'll kill you like nothing."  
  
"Okay, okay, okay, Inu-Yasha. Just do me a favor and LET GO OF ME!" She yelled.  
  
Inu-Yasha flinched when he noticed his hands were still around Kagome's middle. Normally, he didn't think that would have bothered her, but this was not a normal situation. Quickly, he let go of her and pushed her towards Sango, who was having problems of her own.   
  
"Miroku, you pervert!" She screeched."This is not the time or place for that!"  
  
"But-"  
  
"No! Get your damn hand off my ass!"  
  
Miroku hung his head and showed her both of his hands. Sango looked confused and turned a little red. SHe turned around and screamed. Amai was standing there, wearing a cloth around her middle so that she was decent, with her hand on Sango's butt.  
  
"I know how to make you fight each other. It's sad, really," Amai lightly chuckled.  
  
With that laughed out of her system, Amai grew serious. She pulled out a very sharp knife and was about to stab Sango through the middle. Miroku reacted quickly and pulled her to the side.  
  
"Bastard!"She cursed.   
  
Not wanting to get into a fight, Amai walked away, totally ignoring Inu-Yasha and Kagome. She kicked Shippo into Ikimono's limp body.   
  
After she had been gone for about half an hour, Myoga showed up.  
  
"So, hello master Inu-Yasha. Hello all. How's it going?"  
  
Inu-Yasha's left eye twitched angrily.  
  
*****************************************************  
Okay one more chapter to go! please review! I don't even care if you don't read it! Please? Anyway, I am so happy that I am almost done!  
  
Milana Pashmina 


	10. Parting Ways: Ikimono Goes Home

Okay you reviewer out there! Here is the final chapter for this story. The next story, Violet Skylark, is coming soon. It's after this, by 3 years.  
Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-Yasha. Nothing! I have patented/published nothing, therefore, I own the rights to nothing, although I did create all my stories.  
  
*****************************************************************  
When Myoga showed up, it was the last straw for Inu-Yasha. His left eye began to twitch in anger. Kagome jumped and ran back, Shippo, Miroku, Sango, and Kirara were close behind. They could only hope for the almost lifeless Ikimono.  
  
Inu-Yasha strutted over to the tiny Myoga. He was full of angry fire and bent low to the ground. Myoga looked up at him.  
  
"Uh, Master Inu-Yasha? I-is something wrong?" Myoga nervously asked.  
  
At that, Inu-Yasha exploded. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'IS SOMETHING WRONG?'! HELL YES THERE IS! WITH YOU! YOU ALWAYS RUN AWAY AT THE SLIGHTEST HINT OF DANGER!"  
  
"B-but Master-"  
  
"SHUT UP AND GET THE HELL AWAY FROM US! YOU'RE NO USE SO GO!"   
  
Myoga looked a lot scared and trembled under the mighty Inu-Yasha's wrath. He looked to Kagome for support, but she just turned her nose up and looked away, arms folded across her chest. Myoga hung his head and turned around. He jumped as fast as he could to as far as he could.  
  
Shippo kind of sadly looked up at Kagome and quietly said,"I guess that's the last we'll see of Myoga the flea."  
  
Miroku heard his tone and looked down. He smiled a slight smile, winked, and shook his head all at once. Myoga always came back. Shippo smiled and sighed. He hated things to change and people to go.  
  
Sango was watching the whole thing out of the corner of her eye. It surprised her how well Miroku was working with Shippo. She wondered if he was this good with all kids. Maybe if the lecherous monk was good with all sorts of kids she'd--... Sango shook her head as hard as she could. How could she be thinking such things at a time like this?  
  
"Something wrong?"Kagome slyly asked.  
  
Sango looked at her and gulped. "No, nothing is wrong. Nothing at all."  
  
"That's funny. You've been staring at Miroku through the corner of your eye for ten minutes now."  
  
"Y-you noticed?"  
  
"Yep. He hasn't though."  
  
"What are you two talking about? What's this about Miroku?" Shippo loudly asked, oblivious to the fact that they were whispering so that nobody would know what they were discussing.  
  
Miroku turned his head in surprise to the blushing Sango and the amused Kagome.   
  
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were becoming quite fond of me, Lady Sango,"he said in a bemused tone.  
  
"You know,"the monk began thoughtfully.  
  
'Please don't let him ask. Please don't let him ask. Oh, Kami, don't let him ask-'Sango thought.  
  
"Please bear my child."  
  
Sango made that 'urk!' noise and facefaulted. Kagome got a sweatdrop.  
  
Quickly, Sango regained her composure and--  
  
*WHAP!*  
  
Miroku held a hand to his face where he had been struck. A bright, glowing red handprint was there and he winced when he touched it. Sango held her own hand where it stung from hitting him so hard.  
  
Kirara rolled her eyes in an almost human way and left. Shippo struggled not to laugh. Kagome looked at Inu-Yasha and their eyes met. They both thought the same thing; 'Those two!'  
  
Suddenly, Shippo gasped and pointed to the patch of smashed grass where Ikimono had been laying. Some blood drops dripped away in a trail, but Ikimono was gone.  
  
The group moved to the spot and Inu-Yasha began using his nose as a tracking device. The little scene of Miroku and Sango was quickly forgotten by all.   
  
After a long while, Inu-Yasha decidedly got up and said, "She's been gone for a long time. I'm guessing since about the time Myoga left."  
  
"Maybe that's what Myoga was trying to tell us," Miroku mumbled.  
  
Sango nodded her agreement with Kagome and Shippo.  
  
Inu-Yasha hung his head, then continued,"She's been gone too long for me to find her now. There are no other scents around, so she must have not wanted us to know."  
  
Kagome and Shippo's eyes filled with tears and Sango looked on the verge of them. Miroku looked on the verge of hugging Sango to 'comfort' her. He thought twice when he remembered his cheek. So instead he put a hand on her shoulder and she didn't shrug it away.  
  
Inu-Yasha, on the other hand, was freaking out about Kagome's tears. "C'mon Kagome stop crying. We can look for her if you want to," He desparately offered.  
  
"No. She's a grown, uh, demon. She did this on her own adn we should respect what she wants," Kagome said, wiping away the tears and looking brightly to the snow covered mountain.   
  
The sun shone down all around them and the snow was falling off the trees. It was a beautiful sight.  
  
"This is goodbye, Ikimono," Sango, Shippo, and Kagome quietly said together.  
  
Miroku did a small prayer, and Inu-Yasha looked to the far ahead mountain with squinted eyes. A breeze blew their words to the mountain that Inu-Yasha watched.  
  
And from somewhere on that mountain, Ikimono heard those words and turned her head to the direction. "Goodbye Inu-Yasha and Kagome and Mirokku and Sango and Shippo and Kirara. Thanks for everything."  
  
Then Ikimono turned her back to them and began her trip home. To her offspring and mate.   
  
From somewhere else, Amai began her reckless destruction, several times worse than Naraku had ever done. She was only begining her terror. Soon she would learn how to steal souls and soon she would destroy Ikimono. And in a few years, she would meet Inu-Yasha and friends again.   
  
But that is yet to come.  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
  
THE END THE END THE END THE END THE END THE END THE END THE END THE END THE END THE END THE END   
  
Did you like it? If you would read this, I think you would! Please review (and read) ! Thank you very much! (takes a bow)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Milana Pashmina  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Oh yeah! I forgot to tell you! Since her daughter is like 13 and Ikimono looks like she's 20, Ikimono ages really slowly. Did I tell/write that earlier. Gomen Nasai! Read and review! 


End file.
